For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Friday, March 1, 2013 USDL-13-0339
Technical information: (202) 691-7410 * nls_info@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/nls
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
(NOTE: This news release was reissued on March 5, 2013, to correct data in Table 2
for Hispanics or Latinos with a bachelor's degree or more, no longer enrolled and
not in the labor force during the October when age 25. No other data or analysis
were affected.)
AMERICA'S YOUTH AT 25: SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, NUMBER OF JOBS HELD
AND LABOR MARKET ACTIVITY: RESULTS FROM A LONGITUDINAL SURVEY
By the October when they were 25 years of age, 30 percent of women and 22 percent
of men had received a bachelor's degree, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. Additionally, nearly the same percentage of men and women (13 and
14 percent respectively) were enrolled in college at age 25.
These findings are from the first 14 annual rounds of the National Longitudinal
Survey of Youth 1997, a nationally representative survey of about 9,000 young
men and women who were born during the years 1980 to 1984. These respondents
were ages 12 to 17 when first interviewed in 1997, and ages 25 to 31 when
interviewed for the 14th time in 2010-11. The survey provides information on
work and nonwork experiences, training, schooling, income, assets, and other
characteristics. The information provided by respondents is representative
of all men and women born in the early 1980s and living in the United States
when the survey began in 1997.
This release focuses on the school enrollment and employment experiences of
these individuals from their 18th birthday until they turned 26. Highlights
from the longitudinal survey include:
--During the October when they were 25 years old, 22 percent of men
had received a bachelor's degree, compared with 30 percent of women.
(See table 1.)
--Five percent of male high school graduates who had never enrolled
in college were in the Armed Forces during the October when they were
age 25, as were 6 percent of the 25-year-old men who had attended
college but had not earned a bachelor's degree and were no longer
enrolled. Three percent of 25-year-old men with a bachelor's degree
were serving in the Armed Forces. About 1 percent of women in each of
these educational attainment categories were in the Armed Forces at
age 25. (See table 2.)
--Individuals born from 1980 to 1984 held an average of 6.3 jobs
from ages 18 to 25. On average, those with more education held more
jobs than those with less education. (See table 3.)
--Men held an average of 4.0 jobs from ages 18 to 21 and 3.2 jobs
from ages 22 to 25 while women held an average of 4.2 jobs and 3.2
jobs at those ages. In general, from ages 22 to 25, individuals with
more education held more jobs, worked more weeks, and were less likely
to be out of the labor force. (See table 4.)
--High school graduates who had never enrolled in college were
employed an average of 69 percent of the weeks from ages 18 to 21,
and 76 percent of weeks from ages 22 to 25. In comparison, those who
had dropped out of high school were employed 51 percent of weeks from
ages 18 to 21, and 58 percent of weeks from ages 22 to 25. (See table 4.)
--By their 26th birthday, 5 percent of youths who had not received
a high school diploma had never held a job since the time they turned
18. Of all jobs held by high school dropouts since age 18, nearly two-
thirds lasted less than a year. (See table 5.)
Educational Attainment at age 25
At 25 years of age, 26 percent of individuals had received their bachelor's
degree, up from 23 percent at age 24, and 19 percent at age 23. The percent of
individuals enrolled in college rose slightly from 13 to 14 percent between
ages 24 and 25. Forty-three percent of 25 year olds had graduated from high
school and were not enrolled in college, and 8 percent had earned a General
Educational Development (GED) credential and were not enrolled in college.
Nine percent of individuals were high school dropouts during the October
when they were age 25. (See table 1.)
Women were much more likely than men to have received a bachelor's degree
by the October they were age 25 and were equally likely to still be enrolled
in college. Thirty percent of women had earned a bachelor's degree, compared
with 22 percent of men. At age 25, women were less likely than men to be
high school dropouts or high school graduates not enrolled in college.
At age 25, there was a large difference in educational attainment among
racial and ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics were about twice
as likely as whites to be high school dropouts in the October they were age 25.
In comparison, whites were more than twice as likely as blacks or Hispanics
to have received their bachelor's degree by this age. Thirty percent of
whites had received their bachelor's degree, compared with 14 percent of
blacks and 12 percent of Hispanics.
Employment Status at age 25 of Young Adults Not Enrolled in School
Among those not enrolled in school the October when age 25, labor force
status differed substantially by educational attainment. Those with more
education were more likely to be employed in civilian jobs and less likely
to be out of the labor force. Sixty percent of high school dropouts were
employed in civilian jobs in the October they were age 25. At the same
age, 76 percent of high school graduates who had never enrolled in
college were employed in civilian jobs, and another 3 percent were serving
in the Armed Forces. Among 25-year-old high school graduates who had some
college experience but had not earned a bachelor's degree and were no longer
enrolled in college, 81 percent were employed in civilian jobs and 3 percent
were serving in the Armed Forces. Ninety-one percent of 25-year-olds who
had earned a bachelor's degree and were no longer enrolled were employed
in civilian jobs, while 2 percent were serving in the Armed Forces. (See
table 2.)
During the October when age 25, men were more likely to be serving in
the Armed Forces than women (4 percent compared to 1 percent). Among
high school graduates who had never enrolled in college, 5 percent of
men and 1 percent of women were serving in the Armed Forces; for those
who had attended college without earning a bachelor's degree, nearly 6
percent of men and 1 percent of women were in the Armed Forces. Of
those with a bachelor's degree, 3 percent of men and 1 percent of
women were in the Armed Forces.
Employment Attachment of Young Adults from ages 18 to 25
Individuals had an average of 6.3 jobs from the ages of 18 through 25 in
1998-2010. On average, men held 6.2 jobs and women held 6.4 jobs. (See
table 3.) In this release, a job is defined as a period of work, including
gaps, with a particular employer. (See the Technical Note for additional
information on the definition of a job.)
On average, young adults represented by the survey sample were employed
during 72 percent of all the weeks occurring from age 18 through age 25.
They were unemployed--that is, without jobs but seeking work--6 percent of
the weeks. They were not in the labor force--that is, neither working nor
seeking work--22 percent of the weeks.
Overall, men at these ages spent more time employed and less time out of
the labor force than women, but this varied greatly by education. Men
with less than a high school diploma spent 62 percent of weeks employed
from ages 18 to 25. These men also spent 13 percent of weeks unemployed.
In comparison, women with less than a high school diploma spent 44 percent
of weeks employed and 10 percent of weeks unemployed from ages 18 to 25.
Women without a high school diploma spent 46 percent of weeks from ages 18
to 25 out of the labor force, more weeks than they did employed. Women
with a bachelor's degree or more education spent a larger proportion of
weeks employed than did similarly educated men (76 versus 70 percent) and
less time out of the labor force (21 versus 27 percent).
The amount of time employed differs between educational-attainment groups,
especially among blacks. From ages 18 to 25, blacks with less than a high
school diploma were employed in 40 percent of all weeks. In comparison,
black high school graduates who had never enrolled in college were employed
in 61 percent of weeks, and blacks with a bachelor's degree or more
education were employed 68 percent of weeks from ages 18 to 25.
Examining these data by smaller age ranges reveals that despite being in
the labor force a greater percentage of weeks, individuals held fewer jobs
from ages 22 to 25 than they did from ages 18 to 21. While ages 18 to 21,
individuals held an average of 4.1 jobs and were out of the labor force 27
percent of weeks. From ages 22 to 25, individuals held 3.2 jobs while being
out of the labor force just 17 percent of weeks. This pattern was similar
for all gender, and racial and ethnic groups at all levels of educational
attainment. (See table 4.)
Employment differences by education begin early in workers’ careers. From
ages 18 to 21, high school dropouts were employed 51 percent of weeks, and
out of the labor force 37 percent of weeks. In comparison, high school
graduates worked 69 percent of weeks from ages 18 to 21, and were out of
the labor force for 24 percent of weeks. This pattern persists at later ages.
From ages 22 to 25, high school dropouts worked 58 percent of weeks and
were out of the labor force for 32 percent of weeks, compared to high school
graduates, who worked 76 percent of weeks and were out of the labor force 17
percent of weeks. The labor force participation of college graduates undergoes
the greatest change. For college graduates, the percent of weeks worked
rose from 64 percent at ages 18 to 21, to 83 percent at ages 22 to 25. These
individuals spent 34 percent of weeks out of the labor force from ages 18
to 21, but only 14 percent of weeks out of the labor force from ages 22 to 25,
less than all other educational attainment categories.
The racial employment gap is more pronounced at lower levels of educational
attainment. From ages 22 to 25, white dropouts spent 61 percent of weeks
employed and 28 percent of weeks out of the labor force, while black dropouts
spent 44 percent of weeks employed and 42 percent of weeks out of the
labor force. This difference is much lower among those who hold a bachelor's
degree. At the same age, white college graduates spent 13 percent of weeks
out of the labor force and 84 percent of weeks employed and black college
graduates spent 17 percent of weeks out of the labor force and 79 percent
employed.
Duration of Employment Relationships
By their 26th birthday, nearly all young adults had held at least one job
since age 18. Most jobs held through age 25 were of relatively short
duration. Of the jobs held by 18- to 25-year-old workers, 56 percent ended
in 1 year or less, and another 14 percent ended in less than 2 years.
Twelve percent of jobs lasted 2 years or more. Another 18 percent of jobs
were ongoing at the time of the 2010-11 survey, and their ultimate duration
is therefore not yet known. (See table 5.)
Jobs held by high school dropouts were more likely to end in 1 year or less
than were jobs held by workers with more education. In particular, of the
jobs held by women high school dropouts, 70 percent ended in 1 year or less,
while 6 percent lasted 2 years or more.
